Surgical wash-up basin



April 2, 1963 w. A. JOHNS 3,083,376 SURGICAL WASH-UP BASIN Filed July 15, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR WILLIAM A. JOHNS ATTORNEY A ril 2, 1963 w. A. JOHNS 3,08 6

SURGICAL WASH-UP BASIN Filed July 15, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM A. JOHNS BY ma" ATTORNEY April 2, 1963 w. A. JOHNS 3,083,376

SURGICAL WASH-UP BASIN Filed July 15, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR WILLIAM A. JOHNS ATTORNEY ite States This invention relates to new and useful improvements in surgical appliances, and in particular the invention concerns itself with a basin such as may be positioned under a selected region of a patients anatomy for effectively supporting the same while that region is being washed in preparation for surgery or other treatment.

As such, the basin in accordance with the invention may be used on a bed, a stretcher, an operating table, or the like, the principal object of the invention being not only to support a patients torso, arm or leg during the washing procedure, but also to serve as a receptacle for soapy water which drains from the anatomical region which is being washed.

While the basin in accordance with the invention may be used in washing-up procedures preparatory for surgery, it may also be used in the preparation of patients for catheterization. Moreover, the basin may be utilized by patents having urinary or fecal incontinence.

An hnportant feature of the invention resides in an arrangement of the basin so that, in one embodiment thereof, it is contoured so as to conformably fit and support a selected region of a patients anatomy while, in another embodiment, it is provided with resiliently compressible cushion means which also confonmably lit and support the anatomy of a patient thereon.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, efficient and comfortable use, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important object and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiient of the washup basin n use;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the basin per se;

FEGURE 3 is a sectional View, taken substantially in the plane of the line 3-3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a modified embodiment of the basin;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional plane of the line 55 view, taken substantially in the in FIGURE 4; URE 6 is a sectional view, taken substantially in the piane of the line 66 in FIGURE 4;

FIGUEE 7 is a fragmentary sectional View, taken substantially in the plane of the line 7 -'7 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing another modified embodiment; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a further modified embodiment.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, more particularly to FIGURES 1-3, the wash-up basin in accords -ce with the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 16 and embodies in its construction an elongated rectangular tray 11, including a bottom 12 and an upstanding marginal wall consisting of a pair of side walls 13 and a pair of end walls 14, 15. The upper edges of the side and end walls are substantially co-planar, but it will be noted that the end wall 314 is substantially thicker than the end wall 15 and that it is provided in its upper edge portion with a concave depression 16. A cushion member 17, such as a strip of foam rubber, or the like resiliently compressible material, is secured by i atent O F 3,083,376 Patented Apr. 2, 1963 adhesive or other suitable means to the upper edge of the wall 14, the intermediate region of the cushion member which is disposed in the depression 16 being similarly concaved, as indicated at 17.

Provided substantially centrally on the tray bottom 12 is a rectangular block or platform 18 which may be formed from the same material as the tray. A cushion member 19 of foam rubber, or the like, is suitably secured to the upper surface of the block or platform 18, it being noted that while the platform and cushion member thereon are elevated above the bottom 12, the upper surface of the cushion member 19 is preferably spaced downwardly from the plane of the upper edges of the marginal walls of the tray, as is best shown in FIGURE 3.

One of the side walls 13 is provided adjacent the end wall 15 with a laterally projecting drain nipple 20 to which is connected a flexible drain hose or tube 21. Also, a suitable handle 22 is provided on one of the side walls, so that the entire device may be conveniently carried from one place of use to another.

The device may be used in hospitals, doctors offices, nursing homes, private homes, and the like, and may be positioned on a bed, a stretcher, or on an operating table as exemplified at 23 in FIGURE 1. When in use, the basin is simply positioned under a patient, indicated at 24, so that the patients buttocks 25 rest on the cushion member 19 atop the platform 18, while the patients back 26 rests on the cushion member 17, particularly within the concavity 17' of that cushion member, atop the tray wall 14. The patients shoulders 27 may rest on a suitable pillow 28 positioned on the table 23, and it will be apparent from the foregoing that the patient may rest comfortably above the basin while being supported at the buttocks as well as at the back. The resiliently compressible cushion members '17, 19 automatically conform to the contour of the patients anatomy, and while the patients torso is being washed, the soapy water draining therefrom will be received in the tray r11 without wetting the table, stretcher or bed on which the tray is positioned.

The drained water may then be discharged from the tray through the nipple 23 and drain hose 21 into a suitable receptacle (not shown), as will be readily understood.

FIGURES 4-7 illustrate a modified embodiment of the basin which, #for most part, is the same as the embodiment already described, in that it consists of a tray having a bottom 12, a pair of side walls 13 and a pair of end walls 14a and 15. However, in this embodiment the end wall 14:: may be of the same thickness as the end wall 15, and a strip 3% of relatively rigid material is secured to the upper edge of the wall 14a, the intermediate portion of the strip being concaved as at 3i) and disposed in a concave depression 3-1 formed in the upper edge of the wall 14a. The strip 30 is considerably wider than the thickness of the wall 14a so that it projects both laterally outwardly and inwardly therefrom as shown in FIGURE 5, and a set of upright supporting posts 32 are provided between the tray bottom 12 and the inwardly projecting portion of the strip to prevent the same from collapsing. The concavity of the strip, as indicated at 38', is such as to conform ably fit and support a patients back, so that the use of a resiliently compressible cushion member (as at 17) is not necessary.

The patients buttocks are supported by an elevated platform 33 which is mounted on the bottom 12 by means of a set of upright supporting posts 34, the platform 33 also being contoured to conformably fit the patients buttocks so that the use of a cushion member (as the member 19) thereon is not necessary.

Manifestly, both embodiments of fabricated from metal, or molded fiberglass, or the like, as preferred.

the invention may be integrally from plastic,

assert FIGURES 8 and 9 illustrate further modified embodiments of the'basin, bothbeing similar'in construction to the embodiment of FEGURES 4-7 in that they utilize a tray with a relatively .thin end wall, surmounted by a relatively wide, rigid, backsupporting strip. However, these embodiments are intended for use When Washing a patients arm or leg rather than the torso, andaccordingly, the depression 38 in the strip 39 of FIGURE 8 and in the strip 46 of FIGURE 9 is smaller than that in the back supporting strip 30, and'is adapted to conformably fit and support the patients arm or leg, as the case may be. In theermbodiment of FIGURE 8 the strip 39 is substantially at the level of the upper edge of the associated tray, but in the embodimentof FIGURE 9 the end wall -41 is extended" upwardly tosupport the interwmediate, depressed or concaveportion of the strip substantially above the upper edge ofthetray, in the event that such an arrangement isprefera-ble.

It may be also noted that the armor legfitting embodiments of FIGURES 8 and 9 may also be constructed alongthe lines of the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3 rather than FIGURES 47, that is to say, by providing a resiliently compressible cushion in the concavity of the strips 39 or'4ti. 'In the arm or leg fitting embodiments of FIGURES 8 and 9, theuse of a buttock supporting platform, of course, is not necessary.

Whilein the foregoing there have been described and shown the preferred embodiments of the inventiomvarious modifications may become apparent tothose skilledin the art to which the-invention-relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the'invention to .this disclosure and various modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the spirit and'scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A surgical utensil for supporting the body of a patient and for gathering liquids draining from the body during administration of a surgical procedure, said utensil comprising a horizontally elongated and relatively shallow tray having a bottom .and a relatively low upstanding marginal well, said tray being dimensionally coordinated with a patients body-so as to facilitate placemen-t of the tray under thebody with all but the back of the body being exposed and accessible from the top and sides above the upper edge of the marginal wall of the tray and with the tray extending longitudinally from approximately the patients thighs to' the shoulders, said marginal wall at one i end'ofthe tray being provided with a concave depression to receive and supportably fit the shoulder region of a patients body with the patients head and feet lying outof the tray for supportably engaging the patients buttocks.

2. The utensil as defined in claim 1 together with a resiliently compressible cushion member provided in said concave depression.

3. The utensil asdefinedin claim 1 together with a resiliently compressible cushion member provided on said buttock supporting means.

4. The utensil as defined in claim 1 together with drain meansprovided on said tray.

References Cited in'the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,486,824 Daniels Nov. 1, 1949 2;504,'6.46 'Burrow Apr. 18, 1950 2,548,301 Gibson Apr. 10, 1951 2,730,104 Newman Jan. 10, 1956 2,947,996 Newman Aug. 9, 1960 

1. A SURGICAL UTENSIL FOR SUPPORTING THE BODY OF A PATIENT AND FOR GATHERING LIQUIDS DRAINING FROM THE BODY DURING ADMINISTRATION OF A SURGICAL PROCEDURE, SAID UTENSIL COMPRISING A HORIZONTALLY ELONGATED AND RELATIVELY SHALLOW TRAY HAVING A BOTTOM AND A RELATIVELY LOW UPSTANDING MARGINAL WALL, SAID TRAY BEING DIMENSIONALLY COORDINATED WITH A PATIENT''S BODY SO AS TO FACILITATE PLACEMENT OF THE TRAY UNDER THE BODY WITH ALL BUT THE BACK OF THE BODY BEING EXPOSED AND ACCESSIBLE FROM THE TOP AND SIDES ABOVE THE UPPER EDGE OF THE MARGINAL WALL OF THE TRAY AND WITH THE TRAY EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY FROM APPROXIMATELY THE PATIENT''S THIGHS TO THE SHOULDERS, SAID MARGINAL WALL AT ONE END OF THE TRAY BEING PROVIDED WITH A CONCAVE DEPRESSION TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORTABLY FIT THE SHOULDER REGION OF A PATIENT''S BODY WITH THE PATIENT''S HEAD AND FEET LYING OUTSIDE AND BEYOND THE RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE TRAY, AND MEANS PROVIDED SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TRAY FOR SUPPORTABLY ENGAGING THE PATIENT''S BUTTOCKS. 